Christmas decorating around the homestead

I love this time of year. I love looking at all the lights and all the different Christmas decorations. Normally I out up so much things that my kids say it looks like Christmas puked in the house. When we lived in the bigger house in Massachusetts, I was able to decorate every room without it looking over crowded. Now that we have moved up to New Hampshire and bought our mobile home, I am not able to put up everything. I still put up a lot though.

Right now in the living room I have the tree up, all my nutcrackers up on the big bookshelf, a count down to Christmas garland over one window and a small nativity up. I bought a small nativity this year just in case our very curious kitten Abby decided to nibble on them and walk off with a person or two. I did not want to put up the nativity I grew up with that my mom made.

Cute nativity I think. Abby already walked off with one of the wise men and knocked over the sheep. Baby Jesus is put up higher because he never went into the creche until Christmas Eve. It's just something we did growing up, so I continue the little tradition.

Our tree all lit up in the dark. Well, actually, when I took the picture it was around 9 am, but it has been so gloomy here the past few days, that it was rather dark even with the mini blinds opened.

Most of my nutcrackers. I love collecting them. Every year I add one more to my collection. My grandmother Meme kinda got me started. I always loved the nutcrackers that she put out at Christmas, so when I was able to, I started collecting. Right now I have 22, I think. There is 21 pictured here and I have a 2 foot one as well. At one time I had some ornament ones, but I can't seem to find those anymore.

On the back of the front door, I have a wreath that Matt made me back in kindergarten I think. It is made from a wire coat hanger and strips of fabric tied to the hanger after it was shaped into a circle. I love it.

In the kitchen I have the Advent wreath set up on the small sideboard that divides up the kitchen from the eat in nook area.

New candles on it this year, so it looked odd in the picture if I took it from the side, so I took it from overhead. One candle lit so far, second one this Sunday.

I also have this beautiful glass tree that my dad bought me a few years ago and the plate and cup for Santa's snacks. My kids don't believe any longer, and we are focusing on the true meaning of the season now, but I still like it. Plus my mom made me the cup back in 1980. My sister had one too, but that either got broken or lost years ago.

On the way down the hallway, we have our mistletoe hanging down. Both my hubby and son are always stopping in this doorway, so it gives me a good excuse to give them a smooch. Matt tries to avoid it this time of year. I mean what 13 year old boy wants their mom to give them a kiss anyway. I have fun trying though and love listening to him giggle and scream. It usually ends up with both of us on the floor trying to lick each other. Gross I know, but it's fun. LOL

In the hallway, I have a poinsettia garland over the window. On the door to the furnace I have this little decoration that my mom made me years ago. When I was little, my Nana (dad's mom) would make each of her grand kids some mittens and give each of us a 5.00 check. I missed getting them when she passed away back when I was 14. Mom made me this decoration and included a poem (who knows what happened to that though) so that I will remember my Nana.

To help block the breeze that we feel from the backdoor, I put up my Santa doorstop. The rest of the winter I use a towel. I might actually make myself something fancier this year instead of the towel.

At the moment, on the back of the backdoor, I have thee wreath I made for the front of the house. We have three windows in the front and I want to put a wreath in front of each window. So far I finished one wreath. It was easy to make, but very time consuming when you have to wrestle two cats from attacking it and when your hands, fingers and wrists are hurting because of the storm front moving in. I like how it came out though. I also made one for the front door. Same colors, but smaller and different.

Tomorrow is our towns Christmas parade. Matt will be selling hot chocolate with his Boy Scout troop during it. My daughter and her boyfriend are coming down to watch the parade with me. Sunday we are decorating the outside of the house. I already have my wreath up on the door that I made. My dad put greens and red berries in my window boxes, so all we have left is some lights on the deck (our first year putting up lights too) and the wreaths on the front windows. I'll do a post when it is all done to show you all. I am soo excited to to the outside up.